Cambo Gardens are the home of the National Collection of Snowdrops and you’ll be amazed to discover over 300 varieties planted in the woodlands there. The gardens have a thriving mail order business selling snowdrops in the green so you can see, buy and plant at home all in one weekend. The 2018 Cambo Snowdrop Festival is from 3 Feb to 11 Mar.

Castle Kennedy Gardens, Ayrshire.

Still in Scotland, cross to the West for Castle Kennedy Gardens in Ayrshire where the drifts of snowdrops planted around the castle and in the walled garden can be visited every weekend in February and March. Get carried away and try some snowdrop themed home baking in the tearoom.

Belsay Hall, Northumberland

English Heritage’s Belsay Hall makes the most of the long snowdrop season in the North. The first bulbs here were planted by Lady Anne Middleton in the 1700s around the partly fortified Tudor house, but today there are plenty more in the gardens that set off the Greek Revival mansion and in the Victorian quarry garden. Walpole loves it here, because dogs get a great welcome at Belsay.

Kiplin Hall, North Yorkshire

Kiplin Hall has opened a Garden Museum to explain the development of the gardens over the centuries since the building of the Jacobean house. Snowdrops are just part of the story and you can buy some of the varieties grown here when you have completed your snowdrop walk.

Burton Agnes Hall, East Yorkshire

Theirs is a month-long snowdrop spectacular at Elizabethan Burton Agnes Hall. Call in from 10 Feb to 4 Mar and leave time to explore the Home & Garden shop and gift shop.

Rode Hall, Cheshire

The Snowdrop Walks at Rode Hall are a well-kept secret among locals. The season kicks off with a Snowdrop Farmers’ Market on 30 January and the gardens are open between Tuesday and Sunday until 4 March. Warm up afterwards in front of the logburner in the cosy café afterwards if its chilly.

Hodsock Priory, Nottinghamshire

Hodsock is another celebrated snowdrop destination, with the gardens open around the medieval gatehouse at their best in the early Spring with drifts of snowdrops planted along the river that winds through the garden with its charming bridges. There is outdoor theatre here on 16 to 18 February.

Easton Walled Gardens, Lincolnshire

The snowdrops at Easton Walled Gardens were found bravely flowering under the undergrowth as the gardens were restored in 2001. Snowdrop Week here is 17 to 25 February when you can also enjoy an exhibition of Botanical Art and the excellent café and shop. If you can’t get there, snowdrops in the green are available by mail order.

Doddington Hall, Lincoln

Nearby Doddington Hall holds a Spring Bulb Pageant from 11 February to 1 April taking you from snowdrops through to daffodils with plenty of interesting spring bulbs in between. You’ll need a few hours to make the most of the range of interesting shops and the award-winning café as well.

Rodmarton Manor, Gloucestershire

The arts & crafts house at Rodmarton has gardens of the same era and snowdrops are very much a feature. There are nearly 150 varieties of snowdrop growing here, open the first three Sundays and Thursday 15 February.

Newark Park, Gloucestershire

The Snowdrop Weekend at the National Trust’s Newark Park is on the 4 and 5 February this year. The views from the house across the Cotswolds on a bright Spring day are hard to beat.

Benington Lordship, Hertfordshire

Spring flowers come early to sheltered Benington Lordship, where single and double varieties of snowdrops grow in drifts along the side of the ancient moat and in the walled garden. Snowdrop time is 7 February to 4 March here. Snowdrops plants are available ‘in the green’.

Pencarrow House, Cornwall

Mild springs make Cornwall one of the earliest places to find snowdrops. Georgian Pencarrow House will be holding Snowdrop Sundays on the 11 and 18 February.

In case you didn’t know, the National Gardens’ Scheme is holding its third annual Snowdrop Festival www.ngs.org.uk and Scotland’s Gardens hold a Stirlingshire Snowdrop Festival in February www.visitscotlandsgardens.org. The National Trust have been investing in snowdrops to open up more gardens in the early Spring. New planting at Mottisfont in Hampshire and Dunham Massey in Cheshire will be looking good this year or join the effort yourself by volunteering to plant bulbs at Wallington in Northumberland, Dyffryn Gardens or Penrhyn Castle Gardens in Wales. Now, you have no excuse to sit in by the fire when you could be out there welcoming in the Spring.

An 18th century country house set in a Repton landscape containing fine furniture and porcelain. Renowned for the Snowdrops in February, Rhododendrons and Bluebells in May. Other features include a kitchen garden, Italian garden and cafe.

Doddington Hall and Gardens, near Lincoln. A superb Elizabethan mansion by the renowned architect Robert Smythson. The hall stands today as it was completed in 1600 with walled courtyards, turrets and gatehouse.

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